To Temecula

December 31, 2015

Waiting for the Great Grape Drop

Well, this was quite the day to roll out the old year on. It began with a stop at the car rental agency to return our rental vehicle that we picked up three days ago in Indio. We were happy to let it go, and to get their agreement that we were returning it in the same condition it left in, in spite of hauling around a pair of dusty bicycles. Here's another plug for Bike Fridays - they were quick and easy to collapse and toss into the car - one in the hatchback and one in the back seat.

Then a trip back to the motel, to recover the charger for our GPS, patiently waiting there for us in an outlet in our motel room. It was luck that we realized we were missing it - we were reminded of it because the batteries in Rachael's device were nearly dead. Unfortunately we didn't look around again for anything else we might have forgotten, because I'm pretty sure that this is where I lost my pullover cap that I would want later this evening.

Finally on the road, we headed south out of town on State Street for a flat several miles across Diamond Valley before gradually rising up on our first climb of the day. I had pointed out this grade to Rachael earlier so she would know what lay ahead of her. It didn't look too bad - roughly a thousand feet in four miles - so we were both surprised to find ourselves in our lowest gearing on a couple of short, steep pitches that must have been around a 10 percent grade. It was a pretty climb though, with nice views back across the valley and the country feeling wilder with every mile we rode.

Actually, I should have looked a little closer at today's ride profile and mentally prepared both of us. It turned out to be one of the toughest stages of our short tour. The next fifteen miles were a procession of climbs and dips, often into a noteworthy headwind, with each climb seemingly stiffer than the one before. Why are we always riding uphill and into the wind, Rachael would like to know.

Looking back across Diamond Valley, with Mount Gorgonita on the horizon.

Cresting the first of this morning's incessant steep little rises.

The first of several clothing stops - layers off at the bottom of a climb, and back on again at the top.

It is a beautiful ride though, especially once we turn west onto Wilson Valley Road (which I find to be a very odd name for a rugged ridge ride). On top it's all a wasteland strewn with granite boulders, with great views of the distant mountains. It looks like steps are being taken to protect it as a wilderness area. It is a ride I would love to do again, but as an out and back instead of continuing on to what lay ahead of us.

Wilson's Valley Road traverses a wild, rocky landscape - almost a wilderness area.

In one of the troughs on Wilson's Valley road we passed a field that looked like a farm implement museum.

One last climb, the steepest of the day.

Rachael will kill me if I crash doing this.

Wilson Valley Road comes to an end at a T-junction with route 371, and abruptly riding conditions change from idyllic to unnerving. Thankfully we are only on it for a fast downhill glide to the highway's end at Aguanga, but that is way more than enough - it is narrow, winding, shoulderless, and busy. It was with great relief that we rolled up to the general store in Aguanga (in fact, the store looks like nearly all that exists of this village), stopped for lunch, and took comfort from the wide shoulder on busy Highway 79, our route for the upcoming twelve miles.

Descending route 371 to Aguanga: not for the faint of heart.

Back on our bikes, we were distressed to see the shoulder disappear once we rounded the next bend. As bad as 371 had been, 79 was worse, and busier. Fortunately we were headed generally downhill and with a tailwind so we made good time, but it was a pretty clenched-teeth ride until we finally turned off onto empty Pauba Road. We had both been harboring private thoughts of how stupid it would be to close out 2105 by closing out, period. I'm sure it was much worse with all the holiday traffic, but it's not a ride we'll be doing again.

On Route 79, we passed a familiar sight - more iron sculptures by Ricardo Breceda, the artist who created the works we so enjoyed in Borrego Springs. This was the only attractive thing about our ride on Route 79.

After 15 miles of bad road, it felt like we'd reached nirvana when we turned onto empty Pauba Road.

Once off Route 79, we enjoyed the remainder of the ride to Temecula through the rolling hill country east of town. It is a very stylish area riddled with vineyards, thoroughbred horse ranches, equestrian centers and elegant estates tucked into the hills. It has a very homogenous feel, with the properties stitched together by the most extensive array of white split rail fences I recall seeing anywhere.

The hills east of Temecula are full of elegant estates.

Temecula is white split rail fence country - there must be a building code, because for miles they were all like this.

Once we arrived at our motel and cleaned ourselves up, we gave over the rest of the day and evening to ringing in the new year. Unknown to us when planning this vacation, Temecula is a serious hot spot for New Year's Eve festivities (a few days ago, it was included in CNN's list of top regional NYE celebrations in the country). Town square is turned over to the occasion and the centerpiece event, the grape drop (modeled after the Times Square event). Leading up to it are several hours of live events beneath the drop.

Luckily for us it is a family friendly event, featuring two drops one at 9 PM (but midnight in New York), and one at midnight on west coast time. We had an early date with our bicycles and it was cold out, so we wandered off a bit after the first drop, with most of the families with children.

Great fun! If you decide to go check it out yourself though, be warned that its expensive - the prices of our room and dinner on New Year's Eve were double if not more than the usual rate.

I can't believe you're going to eat the whole thing!

Waiting for the big grape drop, Temecula

The big grapes drop at last - Happy New Year (east coast time)!

Today's ride: 54 miles (87 km)
Total: 353 miles (568 km)

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